Apparatus for and method of photographically recording sounds



May 20, 1930.y B. 'KwARTlN 1,759,580

APPARATUS FOR AND ETHOD OF PHOTOGRAPHICALLY* RECORDING SOUNDS Filed April 2, 1928 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20,

PATENn OFFICE BERNARD xwAmIN, lor PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANIA APYPABATUS FOB ANI!) METHD F PHOTGRAPEICALLY RECORDING SOUNDS Application iled`April 2,

This invention relates generally to irnprovements in the art of recording and reproducing sounds and more particularly to an apparatus for and method of photographi ically vrecording such sounds upon a photographic film. In the production of talking pictures, this being the commonly accepted term used where picture and sound records are recorded simultaneously upon a hoto raphic iilm orl the like, many serious difticu ties have been encountered in the various attempts to faithfully record and reproduce the sound impressions, one chief diiicultiesfbengthat it has not beenpossible heretofore to produce a photographic record of sounds wherein the nuances between sounds of strongest and weakest character have -been clearly and distinctly dened. Not only this, but the sounds as reproduced by these photographic records have not been able to approach the uality of the sounds as originally produced y the instrument or voice, this being lar ely due to the fact that it has not been possi le .heretofore to record the very delicate overtones which give quality and character to speech and musical sounds. l

It is accordingly among the objects of the present invention to overcomeA and obviate the aforementioned and other diiiiculties by the provision of an apparatus for photographically recording vocal and musical sounds in such manner that the nuances be- 'tween sounds of strongest and weakest character are lar er, richer and clearer than have been obtaina le heretofore.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for photographically recording sounds which takes into account not only the intensity differences in the hotographic representations ofthe sounds,V ut also their differences in amplitude. 'In this respect alone this invention 1s a marked. advance in the art because Iknow of no apparatus now in use which takes into account both of these factors together, the sound records as'produced by the apparatus now in morev or less generaly use being deendent upon differences in intensities or dif- 50 erences in amplitudes, but not-upon both,

192s. sum1 No. 266,435. y

the result being that the recorded soundsare not in perfect accord with the sounds as originally produced by the voice or instrument. By means of the present invention, it becomes possible to record and reproduce the strongest and iinest sound effects without eX- aggerated amplification. v

Inasmuch as the photographic film in general use is of necessity restricted in width considerable difiiculty has been experience in nding suiiicient space upon the Iilm within which to record the sounds, especially in those instances where the same lm is used to commonly record'both sounds and pictures. It is accordingl a further object of I' this invention to provi e a means for so recording a sound record upon a film that the bands or striations which make up the record may Vbe each increased in width without, however, increasing the transverse width of the film space which has been allotted for said record.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a photographically produced sound record, irrespective of and apart from its applicability for talking pictures, which surpasses in its purity of tone and reproduction those records the photographic representations of which differ only in their shadings or intensities without taking into consideration their variations in amplitudes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a shutter arrangement which is operable to intercept portions of and so coniine within certain limitsthe light rays emanating from an'actinic lamp in accord-- ance with the variations in the sound waves, the operation of the shutters being entirely automatic and in synchronism with the current variations in' said lamp.v 90

Other objects and objects relatin to details of' construction and assembly o the apv 'paratus as well as to details in the method of using same will appear more fullyhereinafter.' Y '95 The invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts and in the method of using same, all 'as will appear more fully hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.v In the said accompanying drawings wherein are shown preferred arrangements embodying the principles of this invention and which drawings are intended solely for illustrative purposes Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a modified arrangement for photographically recording sounds upon a lilm;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a combined motion picture and sound record embodying the principles of this invention;

' Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the sound record shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front view of that form of shutter arrangement capable of-producing the sound record shown in Figures 4 and 5;

Figures 7 and 8 are front views, respectively, of modified forms of shutter arrangements; and

Figures 9 and 10 are enlargedfragmentary views, respectively, of sound records obtained by using the shutter arrangements shown in Figures 7 and 8. y

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1which shows an apparatus forphotographically recording sound effects upon a film, it will be seen that this apparatus comprises a main casing or box 1'0,`the rear end of which is closed, as at 11', while the forward end thereof is open. The casing 10 is preferably of a cross section having a greater width than depth, and extend- Qing forwardly from the rear end 11 of the casing is an opaque partition 12, the side edges of which are in engagement with the opposite side walls of the casing. As appears most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, this l opaque portion 12 serves to divide the casing into two compartments, namely compartments 13 and '14.

Secured to .the rear wall of the compartment 13, in any suitable manner, is a socket 15 and a socket 16, thesesockets being arranged to respectively receive a photo-electric cell 17 and a primary actinic lamp 18. Secured to the rear wall of the compartment 14 is' a third socket 19, this latter being arranged to receive a secondary actinic lamp 20 which is preferably of greater capacity and larger than the primary actinic lamp 18. It will, of course, be understood that the cell 17 and the lamps 18 and 20 may be maintained in position in any other suitable manner, the .important feature being that the photo-electric cell and the primary actinic lamp are arranged in one compartment, while the secondary actinic lamp is arranged within the other compartment.

It will be observed that the opaque partif v tion l2 extends forwardly of and beyond the open end of the casing 10. Arranged yto be telescopically received over the forward-and open end of this casing 10 is a cap or similar member 21, the forward end 22 of which is of substantially tapered cross section. Provided in the apex of this tapered cap member is an aperture or opening 23. As appears most clearly in Fig. 1, the members 10 andV 21 are arranged for assembly together in such manner that the forward edge of the opaque partition 12 terminates in the vertical plane of the transverse slot 23. Securing elements 24 serve to retain the members 10 and 21 in said assembled relation. It will be seen that by reason of this construction, the opening 23 in the end of the member 21 -is divided in such manner as to provide separate openings 23a and 23b arranged to permit the passage therethrough of the light rays which emanate respectively from the primary and secondary actinic lamps 18 and 20. I

Surrounding the primary actinic lamp 18 y being provided with a transverse slot 28 inA registry with the opening 23 in the cap member 21. By properly proportioning the slot 28 in the screen 27, the width and depth of the beam of light that iscommonly directed therethrough by the actinic lamps 18 and 20 may be rigidly held to the proper limits desired. Operatively associated with the vopaque screen 27 and arranged forwardly thereof are a pair of pivotally supported shutters or similar devices 29, the combined width of which is suiicient to cover the transverse slot or opening 28 in said screen 27 and thus intercept the light rays emanating from the actinic lamps. Preferably these shutters 29 are each supported upon the upper end of a suitable rod 30 to the lower end of which rod is pivotally secured a laterally extending armature or plunger 31. This laterally extending armature or plunger 31 is operable within a solenoid orvsimilar device 32. this latter being designed, when-energized in the manner-to be hereinafter explained, to. cause said plunger 31 to be drawn into said solenoid, thereby causing the shutter 29to move to one side with the result that the slot 28 will be uncovered an amount'depending upon the extent of movement of said shutter. For this purpose, the rod 30 upon which the shutter 29 is mounted is provided intermediate its upper and lower ends with a collar 33 oscillatable upon a suitable spindle or shaft 34, this construction permitting the shutter 29 to move about the shaft 34 as an axis depending upon the degree to which the solenoid 33 is energized. Inasmuch as each of the shutters 29 is provided with a plunger 31 operable within a solenoid 32,'it will be seen that upon simultaneous energization or deenergization of the solenoids the shutters 29-29 will be caused to move away from or toward each other ywhereby to provide a greater or lesser space betweenthe proximate edges thereof through which. the light rays from the lamps 18 and 20 may pass. It will be understood, of course, that the shutters are arranged for movement in the same transverse plane, this plane being normal to that of the opaque partition 12, and it will be further understood that the shutters and the parts operatively associated therewith are arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane of said partition 12. v v

The operation of the apparatus just described for recording sound eiects upon a suitable film 35 will now be more readily understood by referring to Figure 1. These sounds are transmitted in the usual manner to a suitable microphone7 designated generally by the reference numeral 36, by means of which the sound vibrations are converted into corresponding electrical variations, which latter are amplified by means of the amplifying circuit 37 to provide amplified energizing currents for the primary actinic lamp 18. By means of this lamp 18, which is preferably of high actinic valuethe. amplified electrical variations are converted into light variations. These light variations influence the photo-electric cell 17, which latter is arranged to one side of the'primary actinic lamp, with the result that a portion of the light rays emanating from'said primary actinic lamp are reconverted into corresponding electrical variations, which latter variations, after being amplified .in the amplifying circuit 38, are transmitted to the secondary actinic lamp 20, this secondary actinic lamp being larger than the primary actinic lamp. The light variations set up by thissecondary actinic lamp', Which'light variations correspond to the sound vibrations originally impressed upon the microphone 36, are directed through the openings 23 and 28 upon the film 35. i.

Simultaneously as the light rays from the primary and secondary actinic lamps are directed through the slot 28 upon the lilm 35, a certain portion of the light rays emanating from the former are also directed upon the photo-electric cell 17. The screen 25, lwhich closely surrounds the end of thel primary actinic lamp, e'ectually precludes any light reflecting back from the film upon the photoelectric cell 17.

As appears most clearly in Figure 1, the

solenoids 33 are connected in parallel with 4 times of the same strength'as that supplied to the solenoids, the result beiner that simultaneously as a strong beam oi:1 light is'directed from said lamp through the slot 28 the solenoids will be energized to cause the shutters 29 to move apart a distance which is in accordance with the intensity of the light rays emanatin from the lamp. On the other hand, should t e rays of light from the lamp 20 be of .relatively weak strength, thev shutters will automatically approach one another and. in so doing will reduce the eective width of the slot 28 through which said rays of light are permitted to pass, this by reason of the fact that the solenoids 33 are energized to the same extent as is the lamp 20. Should no sound whatever be produced withthe result that no electrical current is Vestablished for energizing the actinic lamps 18 and 20 and the solenoids 33, the latter' will 'notbe operative to separate the shutters 29, in Which case the shutters will operate conjointly to cover the transverse slot 28 in the screen 27.

. It will thus be seen that the shutters 33 operate conjointly to define the width of the slot 28 and so confine the rays of light emanating from the lamps 18 and 20 within cerv tain well defined limits. In other words, this slot 28, through whichthe light rays are directed upon the film 35, is of a variable eiiective width depending upon the strength of the sounds impressed upon the microphone 36, this variation in eective width being obtained automaticall as the solenoids are energized or de-energized to greater or less extent in the manner already described.

The advantages of this construction will be quite apparent inasmuch as it makes possible the recordation of sound eects upon the film 35 which take into account not only differences in their intensities but also difl'erences in their amplitudes. In those instances where only one or the other of these difierences is taken into consideration, the bands or striations which make up thefrecord and which are continuous, looking at the record v crosswise, are all either of thesame depth or shade irrespective of their width or of the same width irrespective of their depth or shade. In this striation type of photographic sound record, the variations in amplitude can truly be indicated only by variations iln the widths of the striations, while the variations in intensities of the sounds can truly be indicated only by the depth or shade film and amplitudes of the sounds.

of the striations. Accordingly, those records which are made up of striations of varying Widths but of the same depth are dependent vsolely upon variations in amplitude, While those which are made up of striations of varying shades or depths but of the same Width are dependent solely 'upon variations in intensity of the sounds. j

vFigures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views of sound records which are produced by the apparatus shown in Figure 1, Fi gure=4 showing the sound record in combination-With a picture record. It Will be Seen from these figures that the striations or bands 39 which make up the sound record vary both in Width and in shade or depth, the bands of greatest Width being also of greatest shade -or depth while those of least length are of least shade or depth. Such a record is produced due to the. provision of the variable slot through' which the light rays are directed upon the Thus, for instance, when a sound of maximum intensity and amplitudeV is impressed upon the microphone 36, a corresponding electrical current is set up Which in turn produces a light of maximum intensity in the lamp 20. At the same time thesolenoids 33 are energized to al corresponding flegree, thereby causing the shutters 29 to move apart and so provide a slot opening which is of maximum effective Width. Due to the particular intensity of the light a band or striation of maximum depth` Will be "ecorded upon the film, this band being lfurther of maximum crossWise Width due to the fact that 'the sl'ot 28 has been uncovered to a maximum extent. In similar manner, sounds of different intensities and amplitudes will be recorded upon the film in the form of bands of varying degrees of depth and width corresponding to the particular intensities The light variations emanating from the primary lamp 18 and which pass through the opening 23, beingin exact synchronism With those ema.- nating from the secondary lamp 20, serve to supplement the light rays emanating from the latter.

In Figure 3 I have shown a modified arrangement Which operates in all respects in a manner similar to that shown in Figurel, the only differences being that in this modification there is no primary actinic lamp as distinguished from a secondary lamp and thaty the photo-electric cell is eliminated. The sound vibrations which are impressed upon the microphone 36 are converted into electrical variations as before, these electri-A cal variations being sent through two or more stages of amplification before energizing the single actinic lamp 40. This lamp .40 is housed wit-hin a suitable opaque casing 41, the forward end of which is apertured, as at 42, this aperture corresponding to the opening increasing the transverse Width ofthe film space which has been allotted for said record.

' To effect this object, the apparatus of either Figure 1 or Figure 3 may be provided with a screen 43 (to be substituted for the screen 27) which is provided with an inclined slot 44,

as in Figure 7, or with a V-shaped slot 45, as in Fig. 8. In either case it will be apparent that the effective Widths of the bands or striations of light recorded upon the film may be increased Without necessitating an increase in the cross-Wise dimension of the film space normally occupied by the sound record, this space being sometimes .only one-tenth that normally occupied by the picture. In those cases Where a multiple sound record is made upon the same film and in fact Wherever the film space is limited, this arrangement of the bands becomes especially advantageous.

Figures 9 and 10 show, respectively, fragmentary portions of sound records such as may be produced when the inclined slot 44 or the V-shaped slot 45 is employed. It will be observed that in the former instance, t-he sound record 46 is made up of a series of parallel bands or striations inclined With respect to the horizontal, While in the latter instance the sound record 47 is in the form of a series of substantially V-shaped bands or striations arranged in nested relation. In both forms, the effective widths ofthe sound bands are greater than those of the bands shown in Figure 5 for the same cross-Wise Width of the space occupied by the sound record.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications of the arrangements of apparatus for and methods of recording sound effects photographically upon a film as disclosed and described herein maybe made Without departing from the spirit or principles of this invention, and it is accordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims. f

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. An apparatus for photographically. prol `sound responsivel device for recording the sounds upon the lilm, and means operating independently of but in synchronism with said devices for varying 'the width of the individual sound impressions produced upon said lm without varying the depth thereof.

3. An apparatus for photographically producin a sound record upon a photographic hlm comprising a sound'responsive device, a light projecting element actuated by said sound responsive device for recording the sounds. upon a lilm, a casing enclosing said light projecting element and having an opening of a given width and depth through which the light rays'emanating from said element may be directed upon the film and means for varying the effective width oi said opening in accordance with intensities of the light rays projected therethrough.

4. In apparatus for photographcally re-` cording sounds upon a photographic film comprising means responsive to sound variations or establishing fluctuating electric currents varying in intensities in accordance with`the sound variations, means iniuenced by said electrical currents for emitting light variations corresponding to said electrlcal variations, 'a continuously moving film upon which said light variations are individually yrecorded in the form of vertically spaced striations of uniform dimensions considered -lengthwise of the film, and means interposed between said film andsaid latter means operative to vary the transverse dimensions of said striations without affecting said uniform dimensions thereof in accordance with the intensities of the light variations respectively producing said striations.

5. An apparatus` for photographically recording sounds upon a photographic Iilm comprising means responsive to sound variations for establishing fluctuating electrical currents varying in intensities in accordance with the sound variations, means influenced by said electrical currents for emitting a beam of light fluctuating in accordance with said electrical variations, a casing for enclosing said light emittin means, said casing being provided with a s ot a given depth and width through which the beam of light may be projected, a continuously moving lilm arranged to intercept said projected beam of light whereb .to record the sounds thereon, and means or varyin only the effective transverse dimension o said slot in accordance withv the intensities ofthe sounds as,

originally produced.

6. In an apparatus for photographically recording sounds upon a photographic film,y

means responsive to sound variations for producing upon a lm a series of sound records, and means operating independently of but in synchronism with said sound responsive means for recording said sound variations in the form of a uniformly 'spaced vertical line of bands each of which' is of a transverse dimension corresponding to the intensity of the particular sound of which it is a record and all of which are of the same dimension considered lengthwise of the ilm.

7. In` an apparatus for photographically recording sounds upon a photographiclm,

means responsive to sound variations for pro-- ducing upon a ilm a series ofl sound records, and means operating independently of but in synchronism with said sound responsive means for recording said sound variations in the form of a vertical line of uniformly spaced bands or striations of the same vertical di- Vmensions but diEering in transverse `dimensions in accordance with the variations in intensity of the sounds of which said bands or striations are records.

8. In an apparatus for photographically recording sounds upon a photographic film, means responsive to sound vibrations vfor producing upon a lilm a series of sound records, and means operating independently -of but in s ynchronism with said sound responsive means for recording said sound vibrations in the form of bands or striations of varying widths and de ees of shading but of uniform dimensions w en considered lengthwise of the film. j

9. In an apparatus for photographically recording sounds upon a photographic film, meansv responsive. to sound variations for recording the same upon a film, and means operative independently of .but in synchronism with said sound responsive means for producing a record of said sound variations in the form, a series of sound bands or striations of varying transverse widths and degrees of shading, the width of any one of said bands or striations being greater for a greater degree of shading and less for a lesser degree of shading and all of saidbands or striations being of the same longitudinal dimension.

1 0. An apparatus for photographically recording sounds' upon a photographic film comprising a light producing element responsive to electrical variations corresponding to sound vibrations of varying amplitudes and as dc-4 terminedy by the varyin intensities 0f the sounds as originally pro uced.

11. An ap aratus or'photographlcally recording soun s upon a hotographic film comprising a light rproducing element'reponsive to electrical variations correspon ing to sound vibrations of varyin amplitudes and intensities, and means'inc udin a pa1r of shutters operatively associated wlth said element and responsive to said electrical varia-.

tions for intercepting more or less of the light rays emanating from said element as the sound vibrations decrease or increase in intensity, said shutters being movable in a common plane traversing said light rays and' paralleling said film.

l2. An apparatus for photographically recording sounds upon a photographic film comprising a light producing element responsivevto electrical variations, a casin in which said element is housed, said casing ein provided with an opening of a given dept land Width through which lthe light from said element may be projected, andv means ,arranged externally of said casing and responsive to said electrical variations for varying the effective Width of said opening Without affecting the depth thereof.

13. An recording sounds upon a photographic film comprising a light producing element responsive to electrical variations, means for confining the light rays emanating from said element within certain definite vertical and transverse limits, and further means responsive to said'electrical variations for changing said transverse limits to accord with said electrical variations without affecting said vertical limits.

14. An apparatus for photograhically recording soundsupon a photograpv lfilm comprisinga light responsive element responsive to electrical variations, an opaque screen located in front of said element and 4havin an opening of certain depth and widt through which the light rays emanating therefrom may be directed upon a film,v and one orvmore shutters operatively associated with said screen for varying the effective Width of said opening -Without affecting the depth thereof, -said shutters being responsive to the same electrical variations which influence said light responsive element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto i affixed my signature.

BERNARD KWARTIN.v

apparatus for photographically 

